(The dreaded) Berklee woodwind proficiencies

During the mid 1980's, while earning my music degree from Berklee College of Music,   woodwind students and I had to pass a number of "proficiencies" or practical exams. Those of us who learned and mastered the material in these proficiencies achieved a great improvement in our technique and fluency on our instruments. Consisting of a mixture of scales and arpeggios, the proficiency levels became progressively challenging, For performance majors such as myself, there were six levels in total, all the levels had to be completed by the end of our eight semester program. They started with basic major and minor scales and progressed to some very exotic varieties of scales and arpeggios that would have made the Spanish inquisition proud!

(Nobody expects the Spanish inquisition)...

Here are two scanned pages of the Berklee woodwind proficiencies as of 1986...

Page 1

page 2

In addition, at the end of each semester we were required to prepare both a classical etude and a Jazz solo to be performed in front of a panel consisting of three faculty members. The classical etude would typically be something by Klose or Marcel Mule and the jazz solo was usually a Charlie Parker solo from the Omnibook. This was a very nerve-wracking experience to say the least!

Today Berklee's woodwind department seems to be using the same material except that it is spread over eight levels for performance majors.

I still occasionally refer to these documents and practice the material. It is essential to use a metronome, (Don't just turn it on and ignore it :)) and always play the entire exercise at a uniform tempo. Having a chromatic tuner in front of you and referring to it often can help keep your scales/arpeggios in tune. Playing these levels using the full range of your horn is important, it helps you to get comfortable with all the areas of your range. 

Why practice scales and arpeggios? At the end of the day we all want to be able to play a melody smoothly and accurately, all melodies are made up of steps and leaps - so it makes sense to spend some time with these!

Happy practicing!

 

Masterclass on improvisation, courtesy of the Wayne Shorter Quartet

Today's masterclass features saxophonist Wayne Shorter and his quartet performing his composition "Footprints" at the 2003 Montreal jazz Festival.

Wayne first recorded Footprints on his 1966 album "Adam's Apple". The song has become a standard jazz tune, one that is well known and often played by both professional and student musicians.

What I really enjoyed about this video is the manner in which the quartet move away from the traditional performance style of a jazz standard. In a typical jazz quartet performance the lead player would state the melody reasonably close to how it was originally conceived while the drums and bass would share responsibility for the rhythmic pulse while getting into a consistent tempo and groove for the duration of the song.

For example, here is Wayne's 1966 recording of Footprints;

 

And now, below, in astonishingly sharp contrast, is Wayne's masterful modern performance from the 2003 Montreal jazz festival. Here the pulse or groove of the song is anchored by bassist John Patitucci, allowing drummer Brian Blade to play almost like another lead instrument. The group freely changes rhythmic styles, tempos and harmonies based on the suggestions made in the moment by the ensemble's members. 

You can feel them listening to each other!

Wayne Shorter allows himself to explore his melody, to rhythmically displace it, add or subtract notes from it and repeat sections where they wouldn't normally be repeated.

Pianist Danilo Perez does a wonderful job of both re-harmonizing the composition and constantly suggesting new rhythmic directions, giving Shorter a generous supply of ideas and directions for his solo.

Wayne's sense of humor and playfulness is evident in the melodic quotes that he infuses into both the melody and his improvisation;

@ 00:34 he plays the nursery rhyme 'Rock -a-bye baby' which seems to fit nicely within the melodic structure of the tune.

@ 04:04 during his improvisation he quotes the Sonny Rollins composition 'Oleo', Brian Blade responds by changing to a swing feel for a while. Here is a nice example of the original Oleo.

@ 04:45 Wayne shows us how important it is to listen to as many different musical styles and sources as you can when he quotes 'If I Loved You' a beautiful show tune from the 1945 Rogers and Hammerstein musical carousel, (my mum used to play it on Piano, - thanks mum!).

After an inspired and inspiring drum solo from Brian Blade, Shorter states the melody and once again much to Danilo's suprise and pleasure, twists it, displacing it in time at 06:54. The 'Rock a bye baby' reference returns at 7:37. Wayne and Danilo conclude the piece by putting it through a classical melodic and harmonic filter.
I hope this is interesting and inspiring for all students and fans of improvisation out there - check out the rest of Wayne Shorter's incredible contributions to music.

Phew! what a performance! - time to go practice some more :)

Branford Marsalis and his saxophone teacher Harvey Pittel

While perusing the internet late last night, I came across this wonderful YouTube video of a masterclass featuring one of my favorite saxophonists Branford Marsalis (Courtesy of Amsterdam winds). You can see the video below or follow this link.
This masterclass is valuable for anyone interested in performing jazz regardless of your instrument...

                                                 

Branford speaks on a variety of subjects in his usual down to earth manner. At one point an audience member asks him if he currently has a teacher to which he replies "Yes, Harvey Pittel". So of course I had to stay up even later and search for Harvey Pittel on You tube and I found a treasure trove of videos from this interesting and highly accomplished teacher.

Here they are!

 

I've only posted the first 4 parts of the full 14 part series - obviously if these are useful to you then you can check out the rest. I'm still trying to digest them all myself...happy viewing!

Financial realities of the Barbados "music industry"

Here is a scan of a page from the first financial accounts I ever kept. The year was 1988, Keyboardist Roger Gittens and I worked together in a duo called Double Exposure. In that year I had been out of music school for 2 years or so, Roger and I were relatively new to the scene.

I find it interesting to note that nearly 25 years have passed since I wrote these accounts.
Today's pay on the local Barbadian restaurant/hotel circuit has seen some changes - but have these changes followed rises in the cost of living? What would the $300 pay of 1988 be worth in today's economy? The following year, (1989) my duo was earning Bds $400.00 at the Kings Beach Hotel, and in 2001 my duo regularly earned $500/night in hotels around the island.
In the past year I've heard of local musicians earning Bds.$100.00 to play in a quartet!! There is a well known jazz venue in Barbados that offers $400.00 for a duo and $500.00 for a trio!

A music degree from an American university or college can now cost as much as BDS$200,000, what is the financial sense in pursuing a music career as a local musician? Can local instrumental performers really expect to make a living playing music locally under these conditions?

I don't think so.

The week Chick Corea came to Berklee

It was March 1985, I was a wide-eyed student at the phenomenal Berklee College of Music in Boston Massachusetts, when jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea came to visit for a week of activities. At that time I was in my third year of studies and had been fortunate enough to experience lectures, masterclasses and performances from a dizzying procession of visiting artists who at the time were some of the best musicians in the world. Stan Getz, Kenny Garrett, Betty Carter, Cleo Layne, Johnny Dankworth, Michel Petrucciani, Branford Marsalis the list went on and on.

Chick Corea  left us with astonishing memories of his dedication, virtuosity and… a piece of paper that I have kept to this day.

It’s titled “Cheap but good advice for playing music in a group”-  This is what it says…..

1) Play only what you hear.

2) If you don’t hear anything, don’t play anything.

3) Don’t let your fingers and limbs just wander - place them intentionally.

4) Don’t improvise on endlessly - play something with intention, develop it or not, but then end off, take a break.

5) Leave space - create space - intentionally create places where you don’t play.

6) Make your sound blend. Listen to your sound and adjust it to the rest of the band and the room.

7) If you play more than one instrument at a time - like a drum kit or multiple keyboards - make sure they are balanced with one another.

8. Don’t make any of your music mechanically or just through patterns of habit. Create each sound, phrase and piece with choice - deliberately.

9) Guide your choice of what to play by what you like - not by what someone else will think.

10) Use contrast to balance the elements;

high - low

fast - slow

loud - soft

tense - relaxed

dense - sparse

11) Play to make the other musicians sound good. Play things that will make the overall music sound good.

12) Play with a relaxed body.  Always release whatever tension you create.

13) Create space - begin, develop and end phrases with intention.

14) Never beat or pound your instrument - play it easily and gracefully.

15) Create space - then place something in it.

16) Use mimicry sparsely - mostly create phrases that contrast with and develop the phrases of other players.

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There you have it! Great advice from a great musician.